First published 2008
Dr. Dan Ross lies dead from a gunshot wound to the heart, killed in darkness with no witnesses. His wife Elizabeth drifts through her Pittsburgh home, overwhelmed by memories and crushing sorrow. Days blur together as she struggles with loss while their children visit and friends offer comfort. A police detective works the case, digging into Dan's history for clues. The investigation reveals little. Dan lived a clean life dedicated to his patients and family. Then a stranger rents the house next door. This newcomer to Pittsburgh watches Elizabeth constantly. He studies her grief, observes her children's visits, tracks her daily routines. Her pain fascinates him. He knows who murdered Dan Ross and understands the killer's motives. But he keeps this knowledge to himself. Truth matters less than proximity to Elizabeth. He wants to comfort her, to hold her, to become the center of her world. His obsession grows as he plots to win her affection, believing he can make her fall for him in her vulnerable state.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, psychological-thriller
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Pittsburgh
ebook · Dell Publishing Company
Content warnings: murder